The issue that has to be aired! It's been left to feisty Gai Waterhouse to attack the massive internationalisation of the Melbourne Cup. Gai says overseas stayers have an unfair advantage when it comes to Melbourne Cup qualification and has urged the Victoria Racing Club to revise the handicapping of our most famous race, says a report in the Daily Telegraph. "Unfortunately, the way the Melbourne Cup is these days, it is increasingly harder for the local horses to get in the race," say

The issue that has to be aired! It's been left to feisty Gai Waterhouse to attack the massive internationalisation of the Melbourne Cup. Gai says overseas stayers have an unfair advantage when it comes to Melbourne Cup qualification and has urged the Victoria Racing Club to revise the handicapping of our most famous race, says a report in the Daily Telegraph. "Unfortunately, the way the Melbourne Cup is these days, it is increasingly harder for the local horses to get in the race," says Gai. "It has almost become an overseas affair now and that is terribly unfair. The qualifying clauses are completely wrong. The VRC should really seriously look at it." This controversial issue was first raised by Bart Cummings some years back. This year, the situation seems to be ridiculous with more than half the field of 24 runners likely to be foreign stayers. Gai herself has been buying European stayers with the Cups in mind.

Frankel turned in a huge run to win at York over 2000m and every 'expert' in the UK is queuing up to anoint him the greatest racehorse in history. But let's not get too carried away. Fact is - if he dodges a run in the Arc in France over 2400m he will always have a question mark hanging over him. That's the race of the champions and it would surely be folly, or cowardice, for his connections to avoid it. The way Frankel went over 2000m the extra 400m of the Arc shouldn't worry him. Meantime, stats are being pulled out to support his accolade as a super-champ. What about this - Frankel's 62 different beaten rivals have won 244 races between them, including 18 listed races, 32 Grp 3s, 39 Grp 2s and 45 Grp 1s!